FRANKFORT, Ky. – Some residents of 16 Kentucky counties who have received initial FEMA rental assistance because of damage to their homes from the Dec. 10-11 severe storms and tornadoes may be eligible for continued rental assistance.
If you are a resident of Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor or Warren County, you may qualify for continued rental assistance while you seek more permanent housing. You would need to demonstrate your storm-related financial need and show you are developing a long-term or permanent housing plan.
How to apply for continued assistance
Fifteen days after receiving your initial rental assistance grant, FEMA will mail to you an “Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance.” You must complete the form and document your need for continued rental assistance by providing:
- A copy of your current lease;
- Receipts showing the proper use of federal disaster housing assistance;
- Your current household income, and
- Any household financial obligations you may have.
Sign the application and mail it, along with your supporting documents, to FEMA, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
If you cannot gain entry to your home to find these documents or the originals were destroyed during the tornadoes, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Duplicates of many types of official documents may be available through your municipal government, utility company or bank.
If you have created an account at DisasterAssistance.gov, you may upload documents through the Upload Center in your online account.
If you did not receive the “Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance” or you have questions, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.
Extensions on rental assistance may be granted for three-month periods, for up to 18 months from the date of the presidential disaster declaration. In Kentucky, the tornado disaster was declared Dec. 12. It is important to keep FEMA updated with your contact information and housing status.
Your rental can be a house, apartment, hotel or recreational vehicle that can keep you near your job, home and place of worship. The assistance covers rent, security deposit and essential utilities such as electricity and water, but not cable or internet.
The approved rental amount will be based on fair market rates for your area as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
To apply for FEMA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.
For referrals to Kentucky’s health and human services agencies as well as community organizations, dial 211, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or view resources online via https://www.uwbg211.org/.
For more information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.